Finger millet porridge: Ancient Indian Dish

I have an inordinate fascination with ancient recipes, just like Nassim Taleb who famously said:

Avoid fruit that does not have an ancient Greek or Hebrew name and drink no liquid that has not been in existence for at least 1,000 years

Here comes Finger millet porridge (also called Ragi Malt, but sensu stricto the food is not a malt: malt require grains to be partially germinated), a humble staple for poor people in India and Africa which is as ancient as humanity. The food has no fancy label like breakfast or supper, it can be eaten anytime. This used to be my staple food during the first 5 years of my life (in Malayalam this is called മുത്താറി “muthaari”). Of course, finger millet cultivation is much more sustainable than rice or wheat; it needs so much less water, and overall carbon footprint is significantly lesser.

Nutrition

It looks like simple, unpretentious, and ancient recipes are all superfoods nutritionally. Ragi is a fine flour of finger millets. Very high in resistant starch (complex polysaccharides) and very low in Glycemic Index- two hallmarks of a good recipe the science is agreed upon. Plus, exceptionally high in fiber, calcium, iron, and proteins- the reason you wouldn't feel hunger whole day long after just three spoonfuls of ragi malt. Ragi also has a number of essential amino acids in an accessible form, including Valine, Methionine, Isoleucine, Threonine, and Tryptophan. Of course, Ragi is gluten-free in case you suffer from Celiac disease.

Materials:

1. Ragi flour: 1 Cup
2. Water: 3 CUP
3. Milk (toned, cool): 1 Cup
4. Jaggery: 1 Tablespoon
5. Coconut powder 1 tablespoon
6. Raisins: 2 teaspoons
7. Roasted peanuts: 1 tablespoon

Method

Mix Ragi with 2 cup water and cook in the sim in a saucepan. Add 1 more cup when thick, stir continuously so as no lumps are formed. Add milk and keep stirring (I use an egg whisk to mix everything evenly at this point). When thick, add jaggery, coconut powder, raisins, and peanuts, mix, turn off the flame, set aside for 5 min to cool down. Garnish with fruits and serve warm or cold (as a dessert).

Total time for cooking: 10 minutes

Energy and note on serving size:

Ragi malt is a very filling wholesome dish, less quantity is always preferred. Good for weight management too. My typical serving size is 50g, energy value is approximately 120 calories.